Dress-form



(No Model.) 3 sheetssheet 1. T. W. HOBDAY.

DRESS FORM! Patented May 13, 1890,

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. W. HOBDAY..

A DRESS FORM.

(No Model.)

No. 427,991. Patented May 13,1890.

T. W. HOBDAY.l

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

DRESS FORM.

, (N0 Model.)

No. 427,991. Patented May 13, 1890.l

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS IV. HOBDAY, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRESS-FORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,991, dated May 13,1890. Application filed December 26, 1888. Serial NofZQ/LQO.' (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it' may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. HOBDAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDress-Forms; and I do declare the following` to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the inven.

tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this speciiication.

Figure 1 is a representation chiefiy in vertical section of a dress-formmade in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal section online 2 2 of Fig. l, showing in top view the mechanism for varying thesize of the neck portion of the waist-sections. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection on line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an inner side view of two nextadjacent edge bands and links of two adjoining sections of theskirt-frame of the form. Fig. 5 is an edge view of one of the said edgebands and its link. Fig. 6 is an inner side View of the lower portion ofone of the waistsections and of the upper -portion ot' one of theskirt-sections, showing the way of connecting each to the other. Fig. 7is a horizontal section on line 7 7 of Fig. 1, showingin top view themechanism for changing the size of the form in its waist and skirtAportions. Fig. S is a back view, and Fig. 9 a vertical section, of aportion of the back section ot' the skirt-frame provided with a bustle.Fig. lO is a perspective view of one of the eyes r in which the braces qof the bustle swivel. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on line 13 13 ofFig. l. y

The nature of my invention is defined in the claims hereinafterpresented.

In the drawings, a denotes the top portion of the stand in which thetube or upright b, which has connected to it the parts for supportingand operating the sections ot' the form, is sustained and pivoted, thesaid tube b having a collar a2 secured to it by a setscrew. Said collarresting on' the top of the stand a. admits of the form being raised orArranged within the tube h is a rod h, the

`lower end of which extends a little below the supporter A, and itsupper end projects above the top of said tube h and has fixed to it aknob K, said knob being chambered to receive the upper portion of saidtube and turn loosely about it, and has a clamp-screw j for fixing it tosaid tube. The said knob K is provided with a scale 7n, as shown.Supported on the sleeve z" of the supporter A, and so as to turnthereon, is an adjuster C, it. heilig connected. to the rod 7L by a pinf', which is introduced through a slot h in the sleeve i', and anotherslot g in the tube I) and into-a socket e in the said rod, and is thendropped intoa notch k in said adjuster. (See Figs. 1 and 11.) Theadjuster O is held in place on the sleeve of the supporter A, and thepin f is -kept in place therein by a iianged collarl, se-

cured to the said sleeve e" and to the tube b by a set-screw m2. Thesaid adjuster O is provided with curved grooves m, arrangedeccentrically to the axis of the said tube I). (See Fig. 7.)

Projecting from the slides c are pins n, which enter the grooves m inthe adjuster, as shown. By loosening the set-screwj and turn# ing theknob K the ad just-er C will turn on its axis and move the slides c, andconsequently the sec-tions of the form, the index p, hereinafterreferred to, denoting on the scale lc when the form is adjusted in itswaist portions to the size desired. Below the knob K is another knob L,provided with a scale o, as shown, and also with a set-screw q forfixing the knob L and adjuster D to the tube l) when the neck of theform is adjusted to the required size. The said knob L is driven tightlyon a sleeve forming apart of said adjuster D,

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and the index p, arranged between the knobs and tixed to the t ubc l1,operates with the scale o to denote the size of the form in its neckportion.

The adjuster Dis shown in Fig. 2 as formed with curved arms in. arrangedeccentric toits axis, said arms passing through staples n fixed to theslides cf, and the said slides are represented in Fig. l as pivoted attheir outer ends to the form-sections. This constructioii is essentiallythe same in principle, and is praeticall y the same in operation as themechanism shown in l `igs. 1l and 7 for adjusting the waist portions ofthe form.

Below the adjuster D is arranged a supporter B, of like construction tothe supporter A, it being clamped to the tube b by a setscrew r, whichpasses through the hub ot` the said adjuster and bears against the saidtube. Said supporter B sustains the slides c of the neck-adjustingmechanism.

The waist-sectionsof the lorm at their lower ends are provided withsockets t and turnbuttonsu, as shown, the sockets receiving the top endsof the wires fr of the skirt-scctions, and the turn-inittons, alterpassing into the slots w ot' the edge bands or stri psaot the saidskirt-sections, are turned into the position shown in Figs, (i and 7, soas to lock the said skirt-sections to the waist-sections. The said edgestrips :i: are also provided with links c, each pivoted at one end toone ot the strips, the free end of one link having a slot n.' to receivea turn-button d', pivoted to the free end of the next adjacent link.This way of connecting the ends ot the links admits ol' the readyseparation of the skirt-sections from each other when desired.

To the upper horizontal wire o of the rear skirt-section is pivoted atlat spring p, to which are pivotcd two braces q', provided at theirends with eyes r', in which said braces swivel. Said eyes encircle thewires 'r of said skirt-section and are adapted to slide thereon, so asto admit of the springtp heilig curved and sustained by the braces inthe position shown in full lines in Fig. 9, to serve as a bustle R, andwhen not required for use the eyes can be slid downwardly on the wires,so that the braces and the spring will take the position shown in dottedlilies in said Fig. il.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by unserewing the set-screwj andturning the knob K the adjuster U will be moved on its axis by the pin fconnected to it and to the rod 71, said pin moving in the slots g and71.', (see Fig. 11,) and admitting of the necessary movement ol saidadjuster to carry the slides c from one extremeto the otherof theirrange of motion, the ditii'crent sizes to which the waist-band of theform can be adjusted being indicated on the scale l: bythe index j). Thescrewj serves to clamp the waist-adjusting mechanism in position whenadjusted to the required size. .liy loosening the setserew q the knob Lcan be turned on the upright (l and the adjuster l) caused to vary thesize of the neck ol' the form, the size being indicated on the scale oby the index p.

llaving described my invention, what l claim isl. The combination ot'the knob L, provided with a scale o and set-screw q, the adjuster l),fixed 1o said knob, the tube I), sustained in the stand, the index p,the supporter i, having radial arms and llixed to the tube, the slidessustained and guided on said arms, con nected to the adjuster and totheneck of the form, with the said neck portions ot the form7 substantiallyas shown and set. forth.

2. The combination of the tube l), slotted at g and supported in thestand, the supporters A l), lixed thereto, the slides adapted to move ina radial direction on the arms of said supporters and connected to theformsections and to the ad j usters, the rod 71., having the socket c',the knob K, fast tothe said rod and provided with a set-screw, theadjuster C, connected to said rod, the pin j", the adjuster D, the knobL, fixed thereto and having set-screw, with the sections ot thedresslorm, all heilig arranged and supported substantially as shown andset. forth.

8. The combination ot the tube l), the slot g therein, the standsustaining said tube, the supporters A and l, fixed to said tube, theslides adapted to move in radial directions on the arms of saidsupporters and connected to the form-sections and to the adj usters, therod 71., the socket c therein, the knob K, fast to said rod, set-screwj, the adjuster (J, the notch 71: therein, the pinf, the adjuster l),the knob L, iixed thereto, set-screw q, the slot h in sleeve ot'supporter A, the llanged collar Z', and set-screw in?, with the sectionsof the dress-form, all substantially as shown and set forth.

4. The waist-sections of the l'orm provided with the sockets l andturn-lnittonsu, in com* bination with the wires fr and notched-edgestrips n; ot` the skirt-sections, substantially as shown, and for thepurpose set li'orth.

5. ln a dress-form, the combination of the skirt-sections thereot withthe links .2', one link pivoted to one section and slotted as shown, theother link pivoted to the next adjacent section and provided with aturn-button connected to it and adapted to pass through the slot in theother link and connect the two, as set forth.

6. In a dress-form, the combination ot' the wires r "r and o thereofwith the bustle-strip 1)', pivoted to said wire o', as shown, the bracesf1', pivot ed to the lnistle-strip and. to eyes 1", with said eyesarranged to slide on the said wires r u to admit of the bustle-stripbeing elevated into position tor use or depressed within the form,essentiallyas shown and set forth,

'7. '.lhe combination of the tube Z1, provided with the slot g andsupported, in the stand, the supporter A, iixed to said tube and pro-IOO IIO

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vided with radial arms, the slides C, arranged to move 0n said arms,connected to the Waistband of the form and to the adjuster C, the saidadjuster havin g; grooves eccentric to its axis and a notch 7.o', therod 7L having the notch e and arranged Within the tube Z), the knob K,xed to said rod, the pin f', connecting said rod and adjuster with theskirtform sections, supported by the slides and connected to each otherby the links e', said 1o links detachably connected, essentially asshown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS \V. HOBDAY Witnesses:

S. N. PIPER, JAMES CUMMING.

